Career Builder - Best Lit Mags of 2025

The UK's bestselling magazine for women who write. Mslexia is a quarterly masterclass in the business and psychology of writing.

What’s new in creativity and publishing, expert advice and inspiration, debate and opinion, extraordinary poetry and prose, plus unique directory of 60 competitions with closing dates pending and 60 editors and publishers on the lookout for fresh talent – all packaged up in a collectable 84-page perfect-bound magazine.

Mslexia was set up to support women writers and to showcase their work. We welcome submissions in English or English dialect. The majority of our submission categories are open to anyone who self-identifies as a woman, regardless of background or location. However, some of our more popular slots are reserved for subscribers only. 

Out of 1,762 votes, these lit mags came out on top in 2025 as the best lit mags for advancing writers' careers.

The top nonfiction lit mags in our database, ranked by how many users have bookmarked them.

The Ultimate List of Places to Submit Your Nonfiction

Looking for balance between prestige and accessibility? These magazines are competitive but attainable for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writers.

Literary Magazines in the Sweet Spot

All-time most competitive literary magazines. Getting published in these is a significant achievement for any writer.

Most Competitive Literary Magazines of All Time

Explore the most popular literary magazines of all time. These long-established publications are a staple in the literary world for writers of all genres.

Most Popular Literary Magazines of All Time

Mslexia Magazine

General call

The winner will receive £3,000.<div><br></div><div>Three additional finalists will each receive £150.</div><div><br></div><div>Eight shortlistees will each receive £75.</div><div><br></div><div>The winning entry and the three finalists will be published in the December 2026 edition of Mslexia.</div><div><br></div><div>The winning entry, three finalists and the eight additional shortlisted stories will also appear in Mslexia’s ebook anthology, Best Women’s Short Fiction 2026, published in December 2026.</div>

Women's Fiction Competition - Short Story

Submit complete flash fiction stories of no more than 300 words for a chance to win £1,000. Three additional finalists receive £100 each, and eight shortlisted entries receive £50 each. Winning and shortlisted stories will be published in Mslexia Issue 112 and the ebook anthology Best Women's Short Fiction 2026.

Women's Fiction Competition- Flash Fiction

Competition for novels of at least 50,000 words in any genre for adult or young adult readers. Submit first 5,000 words initially; longlisted entrants submit full manuscript and synopsis later. 1st prize £5,000. Finalists receive manuscript feedback from The Literary Consultancy and introductions to literary agents via New Writing North.

Mslexia Magazine

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